


Slumber

by Ghraentseell



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Birthday Cake, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Weird Plot, kind of a surprise party but is not really a surprise at all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-11 01:28:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16466099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghraentseell/pseuds/Ghraentseell
Summary: Keith meets a boy who works at the library of the city and they work together to get some answers.Or, this weird idea I got for Keith's birthday exchange and that for some reason turned into a whole Au.





	Slumber

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LinaBenliven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinaBenliven/gifts).



> Thank you for your patience, I always forget to look when the posting period ends and when I finally check it I don't have time left, but there it is.  
> I really hope that this Au isn't too weird.

The second story of today began with a glance, it was the first time the boy with the black hair opened the door to the library all alone.

And you see, not having anything to do could definitely be listed as one of the many perks that come from having such an easy job, but Matt is just one of those persons that gets bored easily if they have much time at their disposal.

 That’s why he started to take the absence of motion during the working days as an excuse to be looking around the library and be reading some of the books because Matt is not a lazy employer is just that no one ever visits the place.

He imagines that the bags under the boy's eyes are from staying up late watching his favourite show or reading his favourite book over and over again every night as if he expects that the words might reveal something new after a certain amount of time.

Matt knows the boy's name but he doesn't feel with the right to call him by it, not even in his thoughts, so he sticks to call him "the boy with black hair" as he puts down his belongings down on one of the tables, and then crosses the library.

Matt had seen him alongside Shiro before, a long time ago if you ask him, but they never entered together and Matt shouldn't have asked Shiro about him but he did.

Keith, that"s his name.

Some of the books from the old section where the boy has been heading towards; those under the warning sign of "Fragile and breakable" are the only ones in which you can find the hidden secrets of the city, some of those books are about names.

No one cares about reading anymore but Matt likes it, he finds it very useful and entertaining.

Matt hopes that the boy also finds that value in the books.

*

After almost an hour, Keith just keep putting some of the books back on their respective shelf carefully and when he finished he went back to his table to keep reading the remaining pair of old books, those were the only ones that actually seemed to have something interesting, Hopefully, he would get something important out of them, and then he could finally move  from the subject and return to his tasks before anyone notices that he has left.

Keith knows he shouldn't be messing with this kind of stuff...Or at least he should have known better than entering the old section of the library without permission, but he was desperate for answers and the only one who could help him to get this information was Allura, but she would never tell the entire truth about anything, with that dumb excuse that not knowing about the past would make him better.

The answers he needed had to be hidden somewhere around there, in between of some those words.

 

K-e-i-t-h. Every page of the book Matt found was dedicated to a name but this exact one appeared along a couple of the most common names. It means "wood, forest" and there's no reason to be remembering it right now, but as Keith walked towards the counter Matt discovered that it was all he could think about at the moment.

"I'm taking this" the boys announced sliding the book slowly over the counter.

"Alright, I just need to sing your permission forms or register your license number," Matt informed.

The boy twitched "Weren't those the requirements to buy it?"

Matt nodded, "That's right, but to borrow the books from the old section you also need the consent form given by the-" he got interrupted by Keith "I don't have any of those"

"Taking it without the consent forms goes against the rules," Matt told him.

Keith looked down at the book with a frown and soon after that, with a last "Thanks," he left and the encounter ended.

*

Something called alchemy once existed. It comes from some traditions long ago forgotten which aimed to create, people believed it was possible to turn base metals into gold, some other believed about the existence of a substance able to provide immortality.

But nothing lasts forever.

Keith has always wonder about the life before when everything bloomed from pure soil and earth's core pounded with energy when the sea was clean, and all life was wild and free, is merely sad to think about it, how it all changed. Once ago they didn't have to care about preserving the resources on earth, they didn't have to bother of having the exact amount of everything, it was back then that humanity meant no danger or harm to its own home.

War always leaves a stain.

A girl is randomly playing on Keith's headphones, she sings about the summer and he waits to listen to the chorus, now she is talking about an emptiness that is never seen and then the subject suddenly changes towards love.

In the end, he decides to turn the music off because this isn't helping him to focus or being productive at all. There's never enough sad songs to listen to, anyway. Not even for the next two hours and let alone the entire day. Yeah, sure, he could also change artist and cry listening to whoever is on the radio, but that only happens when the issue is of a deeper nature when it comes to something beyond such a simple thing as the weather or when he is dramatically sad about something…like, right at this moment, he notices.

There's something awfully sad about the lack of rain during this month but Keith thinks that maybe the wind has started to collect something more than the leaves that the midterms of autumn had left at the streets.

 

Keith wants to know how to grow life from nothing, without anyone destroying it or regulating where and when a three is going to be growing, so he visits the library again, life once used to be like that.

*

Today Matt notices as the boy enters that he is wearing a red sweater that is almost too big for him, it seems really comfy, though. Matt can also hear the boots as his tracks stop in front of one of the shelves form the old section.

He compares the boy to a winter Night along with his long lashes and messy black hair, and his eyes which contain a Nebula of overflowing determination, is then that Matt realized that he should stop reading and do his actual job.

"Thank you for coming back," he said when he got beside the boy. "I'm Matt, by the way"

"Keith" he Answered with a weak smile that faded in a matter of seconds, Matt almost misses the gesture.

"I can help you," Matt offered.

"I really need those books and unless you can let me take them with me, I think I'm, good on my own, thanks."

"All books are attached to a sensor that would trigger the alarm at the entrance, that would bring the police here and in order to deactivate that sensor I need the consent form-"

"granted by my guardian, I know how it works."

"Sorry, Is just my job to make sure that everyone who enters is aware of the norms of regulation."

"Yes, thank for your contribution to the community," Keith responded monotonously, it was kind of tedious having to answer that everytime someone talked about their work, Matt understood the feeling.

"I'm acquaintance with Shiro, he comes here often. I know he would give you the form if you ask."

"How do you even know I'm related to him?" Keith said as he turned from the books.

Matt gulped. "I…I've known him for a Long time." That was half of the truth he couldn't simply say that he has been watching them every time they came to the library.

"Well, he talks about you quite a lot," Keith stated with a nod. Matt just stood there awkwardly by his side.

"You can also take notes if you want." he said and Keith snorted, "We aren't allowed to write, I don't own any type of writing supplies."

Matt frowned. "Do you even got permission to be here?"

Keith looked down and sighed. "Alright, look I-" Keith got interrupted by Matt.

"Everyone who comes to the library is provided with all the materials required to keep a psychical copy of the knowledge they seek. All the benefits they get should be remunerated to the community."

Keith raised his glance and stared at him silently.

"I understand that you forgot to bring those, I could lend you some if you want,"

"Are you serious?" Keith said incredulously.

"Yeah, but under one condition."

"What is it?" Keith asked.

"Remember to come back tomorrow," Matt answered, and with that, a third encounter was settled.

*

Keith appeared the next day as promised.

"Could you tell me now what you've been looking for?" Matt asked as soon as they got to the old section.

"I think is the same thing Shiro was searching."

*

It's not that Keith couldn't read, he just had a hard time focusing, and sometimes words didn't quite make sense in his head, that's why he sometimes had to read them over an over again, but he doesn't have much time to read and then take notes of that.

"Have you found it?" Matt asked and Keith jumped on his seat by the surprise.

"N-no, not yet." He answered.

"If you're having trouble with it you can visit the library some other day if you want, and I would be here to help you."

Someone rang the little buzzer over the counter, and Matt just had enough time to turn around.

"Hey, I bring you- What is he doing here?" a girl asked.

Keith knew her because of Allura and Shiro, but they never really talked to each other.

"He's just reading," Matt retorted, stepping in front of her to block her sight.

"But he is assigned to the vaults. You should know that It means he's not allowed to be here."

Keith tensed in his place, his breath was uneven, it was the end of his searching, he would never know why they took Shiro a few years ago and why neither Allura or he wants to talk about it, why they-

"Katie," Matt said. "You are making him uncomfortable. You should go, now."

"You're gonna get in trouble, what am I supposed to say to dad if you get another report?"

"Just don't bring it up to him. Tell him what you're seeing right now, I'm doing my job."

"Matt," she pleaded, the sound from her communicator started a countdown.

"I can deal with this, don't worry." He said, she pointed at him and opened her mouth but no words left her mouth and stepped back. "Just watch what you're doing. I'm gonna leave your package here."

Keith started breathing again when she finally left. "Are you alright?" Matt rushed to his side.

Keith nodded, his hand were shaking but he managed to calm his breathing a few seconds.

"Don't tell anyone." Keith huffed. "You know what would happen to me, _they_ are gonna-"

"No one has to know," Matt said. "Is alright, nothing would happen,"

 

That day he couldn't finish his reading, but then when he went back, Matt greeted him with a paper full of his own personal notes, "Maybe this can help with your searching."

*

By the lapse of a month, or maybe less, they became good Friends, and Keith started to surprise himself with the tough of Matt at unexpected occasions, he started to wonder about his lips and his smile, about his skin and his touch. Keith didn't understand why he wanted Matt so much, why he missed him when they were apart and he wanted to explain himself the reason of that emptiness he had, it was something he had never experienced before.

"How do hoy call that feeling?" Keith asked Shiro.

"Which one?" he responded.

"The one you get when you want something even knowing it would never be yours."

Shiro meditated for a second, "Nothing is impossible, Keith. Just have some hope."

*

 

When Keith's birthday arrived the leaves had completely left all the trees.

"Are you doing something today?" Shiro asked once he had risen from bed and he found Keith and Allura eating their breakfast.

"I'll be working," Allura answered.

"I was hoping it would rain today, but the weather hasn't changed a bit," Keith said.

"At least we had some wind around here," Allura mumbled as she got up from the table, suddenly remembering something and exiting the room with a sign like 'Wait for a second,' towards both guys.

"So," Shiro started again "Does that mean that you will be spending the day inside?"

Keith shook his head "I'm going somewhere with Matt if you don't mind me being absent." He explained.

Shiro just hummed as Allura entered the room again holding a box.

"I got this for you," She said passing Keith the box, he kissed her cheek as a thank you.

"We agreed to wait until midnight," Shiro huffed.

"No, you told me that you were going to do it and I told you that it was alright," she said.

"I won't open it," Keith said.

"Oh, is alright if you want to open it now," Shiro said, "I just thought it would be good to have a moment to do it all together"

"That's unfortunate," Allura snickered, "But seriously I told you I won't be able to be here on time. Open it if you really want to, Keith," She said with a smile, then she looked at the clock on the wall and waved at them. " I gotta go now. Take care, guys."

"She thinks its funny. Why can't she just remind me of things if she knows I have forgotten about them?" Shiro said pointing at the door and sitting where she had been before.

"You can't be angry at her, it's my birthday,"

"Right, but she is impossible," Shiro muttered.

"I think I should get going too, you wanted something?" Keith told Shiro with a fond smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"No, I just wanted to know that"

It seemed really suspicious to Keith but maybe he was getting paranoid.

 

*

"And how do you know all those rules?" Keith asked.

" _They_ gave you them when you request for a job," Matt answered.

"I didn't request for a job at the vaults."

"Allura assigned it to you, I know," Matt started, walking across the lines painted at the street "You have to admit that the vaults are interesting,"

Keith shrugged, "Well, yeah… but I've been wondering, why did you decide to help, if you knew the consequences from the beginning?"

"Because I meet Shiro, he used to come here really often, and I would never use that kind of information, the informs and permissions against anyone. He's also never been good with rules, is sad that he can't help but to obey now."

"He's afraid of them," Keith muttered. "I found this while looking through the house," Keith said pointing at the bag he carried over the shoulder, it was now full of the notes they had taken over the months, but it was from Shiro, he used to hide his books in it. "Allura doesn't like it when I ask her about the incident and I don't think she would ever be able to tell me, I think it hurts them both to think about it, so they just ignore it,"

"I don't think he would dare to break the rules ever again, _they_ don't mind making harm if that means you would follow the rules," Matt said. " _They_ don't want anyone against them, and I never questioned that system because I really liked my life then, I have a stable job, a cosy house and all the things I could have wanted, but looking at it as it really is, it just seems an awful life to have. Having to follow what someone else dictates"

"Yeah." He sighed. "But I want this, I don't care if _they_ find out I've been searching. I want to have control over my actions, I want all of us to be free."

Matt committed his memory to the sound of his voice as he said that, the colour of his eyes as the light got caught in them, and the pink over his checks, under all the determination he had there was a hint of a smile.

Matt laughed.

"You knew I would always have helped you, no matter what you asked for."

"No," Keith said. "Well, are you goint to drive me there?"

"Let's go, then" Matt answered. "You know I like danger."

*

They were at the outskirts of town.

"There is it," Matt pointed.

Keith lost his breath at the brightness in front of him.

They had escalated the tall walls of the city, Keith had never seen the sun falling from there, but he knew that the other side the shore lied. Some water remained there, the signs of pollution were fading slowly but it wasn't nearly as he has seen in the books. it still looked beautiful, though.

 

Keith likes to touch people, but right at this moment, he feels too embarrassed to either ask or reach to Matt, even if he has done it many times before, he can't take his hand.

Sometimes, in really special occasions he doesn't even have to bother about words, Allura is the only one who knows right away when he wants a hug, and when that happens with someone else like Shiro or Hunk he just pulls at their arms or their sleeves. Keith's been learning to communicate his intentions more, but he still finds it difficult at certain moments, he gets nervous and he always forgets what Allura has told him to do in those situations.

Keith really doesn't know what to do around Matt.

Keith doesn't what him to feel uncomfortable by his actions, being around Matt is difficult enough for Keith with this feeling that fills his heart with joy every time Matt laughs because of something he had said, or when Matt tells Keith about all the stories he has read.

And he wasn't expecting Matt to reach for his hand first. "I know that seeing the sunset from here is not much, but I hope you liked it. Happy birthday,"

Keth had got stiff at the sudden movement but he slowly welcomed the touch, he still needed time to get the words right into his mind. He thinks really fast, so when he talks he sometimes forgets to say some of the things he wanted. This time he acts instead os answering and before he has time to regret anything he's kissing Matt.

 Their lips move almost with fear because neither of them has done something like this before, at least Matt is not pushing him. Everything is slow in movement and is soft as the moon touching the tide from above along the last rays of the fading sun.

"If that's your new way of saying 'I really like it,' then I should take you here more often," Matt said and Keith smiled.

 

They stayed there until the moon appeared fully, they always lose track of time when they together, so when they arrive at home Shiro doesn't say a thing. Nothing at all.

Is really quiet actually, and when they get to the kitchen and turn the lights, Shiro jumps and scares Keith with a "surprise,"

"You didn't have to scream it at my face," Keith huffed, accepting Shiro's hug.

Krolia was there too, sitting by the table with a cake with candles on.

"Krolia made your favourite," Shiro announced.

"You have to make a wish first," she said.

Matt let go of Keith's hand for the boy to approach his mother, Keith sat beside her and she wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Take a seat, Matt," Shiro offered.

"I hope it wasn't for Allura to switch turn next time and be here instead of me," Krolia mumbled when he blew at the candle.

"I would never do that, mom" he answered. "But It would have been great that she was here too,"

"Well," Shiro said, "If you want to open her gift, go ahead now. But get ready for our last surprise."

Keith waited patiently, with the other box in his hands.

He heard the steps before seeing it, it was a little puppy and Keith doesn't always smile and if he ever tries to do it barely seems like a smile at all, but this time his eyes even glinted.

"I got the permission for it, and by all means, you are allowed to have it,"

"He had always wanted one," Shiro told Matt.

"Because they're really cute," Keith said as he raised the puppy to his lap. Shiro took his slice of cake and Krolia pointed at Allura's gift and said. "Open that one,"

It was neatly wrapped in golden paper, and once he tore it apart it revealed a book.

Keith looked at Matt who shrugged with his mouth full of cake.

Inside the book, he found some dry flowers and a note ‘I'm going to tell you everything,'

So maybe Allura really knew what he had been doing.


End file.
